Verkhovna Rada refuses to create commission to investigate May 2 tragedy in Odesa

The Verkhovna Rada rejected the bill on the establishment of the Temporary Investigation Commission (TIC) to investigate mass riots in Odesa on May 2, 2014.

As reported by Censor.NET.

79 MPs voted in favor of the decision, 32 of them are from the Servant of the People Party, whereas the faction has 252 MPs.

It was proposed that the commission would include 18 MPs, and be headed by a representative of Opposition Platform - For Life Mykola Skoryk, and representative of the Servant of the People Oleksiy Leonov would be a deputy head.

This TIC would have been tasked with investigation of the circumstances of riots in Odesa, including investigating the reasons, finding the organizer, investigating if there was a prior conspiracy in violations during the riots, and the lawfulness of law enforcers’ actions.

During the discussion of the draft resolution, MPs criticized the candidacy of the parliamentarian from Opposition Platform - For Life Mykola Skoryk and the name of the draft resolution. Some MPs called to appoint a representative from Servant of the People as the head of TIC.

On May 2, 2014, the severest clashes took place in 2014 in Odesa. Forty-six pro-Russian protesters were killed and over 200 people were injured during a confrontation with pro-Ukrainian unity protesters at the Trade Unions House.